


Rescue Gone Wrong

by GreenCat42



Series: Voltron One Shots [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, BUT ALSO HAPPY, M/M, Not a death fic, One Shot, and there's gonna be angst, keith and pidge go off to rescue aliens, klance, lance doensnt like it, near death fun times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-06
Updated: 2017-07-06
Packaged: 2018-11-28 09:30:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11415069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenCat42/pseuds/GreenCat42
Summary: The paladins are getting closer to finding Matt and they discover a Galra base where he could possibly be. What could go wrong when they're overrun with Galra forces and still not sure Matt is there?





	Rescue Gone Wrong

            Another explosion blasted into the rock surrounding the paladins. The Galra army had nearly surrounded them, throwing purple explosives to get them to come out. Keith couldn’t do much with his bayard, since he needed close combat, but Lance and Hunk were rattling off shots.

            Keith itched to help, his hands twitching towards his bayard. It was too dangerous for him to go out from the wall of rocks hiding them. He glared at the stone impatience making him restless. “Calm down Keith you’ll get your chance,” Lance said carefully aiming over the rock. “Thirty-seven!”

            He crowed and pumped his fist, then ducked down, a barrage of laser shots pelting the rock above his head. “I need to get closer to that command center,” Pidge said.

            “I’ll cover you,” Keith said.

            The blue paladin swiveled his head around, eyes wide. “Uh no, it’s too dangerous.”

            “I can do it,” Keith retorted.

            “There is way too many Galra!”

            “Enough!” Shiro grumbled. “Keith, I expect you to bring back Pidge and yourself in one piece. Hunk and Lance, you pick up any Keith could miss.”

            Lance opened and closed his mouth clearly upset about the decision. Turning away, he grumbled, “it’s your funeral.”

            Pidge and Keith pulled out their blue shields and finally Keith got some action. His bayard materialized, and his blood hummed. “Ready?”

            Nodding, Pidge readied their bag. If their intel was correct, her brother was in that building and they weren’t going to give up until they found him.

            There were a lot of Galra drones and they were easily cut down by Keith’s bayard. He kept glancing behind him making sure Pidge followed. He was going to keep them safe and get their brother back.

            A blue laser flashed past his face hitting the Galra square in the face. “Careful,” Lance’s voice called over the com.

            “I am,” Keith grumbled back.

            There was still at least fifty feet left until they reached the compound and it was crawling with Galra drones. They focused in on Keith and Pidge, instead of the other paladins. He winced when the laser shots hit his shield, harsh and rough. “Pick up the pace a little ok?”

            “Roger.”

            Two of the drones managed to block his sword, knocking at his shield. Keith gritted his teeth his knees buckling. Then a green bayard shot out at the drones shocking them. “Thanks.”

            Pidge grinned and pulled back their bayard weapon. “No problem.”

            It took the two paladins some time to make it through, weaving around in a pattern versus a straight shot. Keith pulled off his glove and set it on the hand print to open the door. “You know it’s very handy that you have Galra blood,” Pidge quipped slipping through the now open door.

            Keith groaned softly. “You’re rubbing off on the green paladin Lance,” he said over the com.

            “Good, crack that stoic lack of humor you have,” Lance said.

            “Hey, Galra Keith makes jokes,” Hunk piped up.

            “What did I tell you about calling him Galra Keith,” Lance grumbled. “It’s just Keith.”

            Shaking his head, he sliced two more drones before shutting the door in their faces. He stared at the door wondering if they could open it. Slicing at the handprint, sparks flared in his face. At least that could buy them some time. “Hurry up Keith!”

            He shuffled into a jog following the green paladin down the corridor.

            The hallways were oddly quiet and empty, the only sounds were their breathing and the steady thump of their boots. “This is unnerving,” Pidge said.

            Keith agreed his hand clenched tight on his bayard sword. Something wasn’t right, but Pidge kept walking, following the holo tech on their wrist. “Just through there and…”

            Their voice trailed off, hope and worry flooding their voice. “I’ll open the door.”

            He pressed his palm on the handprint and the door swished open. Keith’s eyes widened when he saw the number of cells inside. They were stacked at least ten high and stretched out in front of them. “Quiznak,” he whispered.

            _‘How are we going to find Matt here?’_ Keith thought.

            That’s when he saw the flash of a druid. Black cloth and purple crackling magic. He groaned fear gripping his chest. The last battle he’d had with one of them flared in his mind. Keith hadn’t fared well. “Druid!”

            He pulled up his shield grabbing Pidge. The force of the magic made him grunt, pushing him back. Keith shifted his stance, pushing back at the crackling purple and black tendrils. They were seeking, trying to get to him. “Foolish paladins coming here,” the druid hissed.

            “Where’s my brother!” Pidge snarled taking out their bayard.

            “Not now Pidge.”

            His shield shattered, forcing both of them backwards. Keith wrapped his arms around Pidge trying to shield them from hitting the floor. “Omf!”

            His bayard, where was it? Scrambling to his feet, Keith grabbed his bayard positioning himself in front of Pidge.

            The druid disappeared in a poof of smoke. Where did it go? Materializing behind him, Keith felt a sudden shock of magic flood his system. He screamed trying to force himself not to drop his bayard. The magic burned through his blood, leaving trails of fire. “I know of you half-blood,” the druid hissed close.

            Keith forced himself to swivel around stabbing at the druid. It dematerialized again in a cloud of black smoke. Sweat dripped down Keith’s face, but the pain from the magic had dissipated. Glancing around he didn’t spot Pidge. “Pidge where did you go?” he asked through the com.

            “You uh were busy, I’m hacking into their technology. I’m sorry Keith.”

            “No its ok, I’m just glad you’re safe.”

            The druid didn’t reappear which made Keith uneasy. There was no way it would let a prisoner leave, not the Galra. “How are things going?” Shiro asked, his voice crackling a little.

            “Just peachy,” Keith gasped.

            “What happened, are you hurt?” Lance asked tumbling over his words worry leaching into his voice.

            “I’m fine Lance, there was a druid.”

            “Keith are you ok?” Hunk piped up.

            “Ok, just be careful,” Lance said.

            “I will.”

            “Keep us updated,” Shiro said.

            The coms cut off and Keith tightened his hold on his bayard. The druid would be back, no doubt. “Got it,” Pidge crowed.

            A loud click echoed throughout the room, doors shifting open. Aliens began to climb out, some battered and bruised, others thin and worn. A massive eight food giant of an alien climbed out, black eyes looking around. They focused on Keith. “Who are you?”

            “I’m a paladin of Voltron, we’re here to rescue you,” Keith replied.

            He had to look up, way up. “Tiny verstna, you-you smell of Galra.”

            “I just fought a druid,” Keith snapped.

            He didn’t want to explain something private in front of strangers. It was hard enough for his team to find out, let alone someone he just rescued. “Pidge are you coming back anytime soon?” Keith grumbled.

            “Yeah, I’ll be down in a tic.”

            There had to be hundreds of aliens, more than Keith had ever seen, even at the space mall. “We’re getting out of here,” one of them said in a high squeaky voice.

            Keith tried to stop them, saying the Galra were still out there, but no one paid him any attention. Only a handful stayed behind. “My friend can’t get out of the cell, could you help her,” one of the aliens that were left asked.

            “Of course, I’m Keith.”

            “J’mira.”

            She had six arms and bright blue skin peeking out from the Galra prison clothing. White eyes watched him closely as he followed her to one of the cells. His eyes widened when he saw who her friend was. A long snake like tail curled behind the alien, chains keeping it in place. A low hiss erupted from their lips, red eyes glaring at Keith. “Relax my prianta, Keith is here to save you.”

            His bayard sword sliced through the chains neatly and the snake alien fell into J’mira’s arms. “I don’t trust him, he smells of Galra.”

            Keith gritted his teeth, trying not to snap out that he was Galra, but what difference did it make. “Let’s go.”

            Pidge was waiting for him, a familiar person wrapped in a tight hug. “Keith this is Matt!”

            Their eyes were wet, tears rolling down their cheeks. “I can’t believe you’re here Katie!” Matt cried. “You’ve grown since I last saw you.”

            “We need to go now,” Keith said.

            He sensed something, something wrong. And he was right. The druid reappeared blocking their exit.

            Keith stepped in front of the others. “Keith, we have to get out of here,” Pidge said.

            “I’m working on it.”

            There was another option. Unbeknownst to the other paladins, Keith had been training with both of his swords. It might give him the edge to take the druid down. “You are not leaving half blood.”

            Keith roared and charged the druid bayard sword out. The druid blasted at him with magic. “Go get the others out Pidge!”

            “I’m not leaving you!”

            He screamed again when the magic struck him from behind. Gasping Keith fell to his knees. “I said go!”

            “We’ll come back for you.”

            Slipping out his other blade, it flashed into a sword. Turning, Keith was determined to take out the druid and nothing was going to stop him. The door swished shut behind him, leaving Keith alone with the druid.

            “A luxite blade, still it won’t help you and it won’t help those you released.”

            Keith had a feeling the cells wouldn’t be empty for long, but he was determined to try.

            Every time Keith got close to the druid, it dematerialized, leaving him to stab through black smoke. Panting, Keith tried not to focus on how tired he was, or the fact his body burned from being hit with magic.

            “Keith, we’re on our way,” Lance said over the com.

            “Hang in there buddy,” Hunk said.

            “I’ll do my best,” Keith gasped.

            He shut the coms down, not needing the distraction. The door swished open and Keith turned a smile curling on his face only for it to fall. A large Galra soldier strolled in. “I was told there was a paladin of Voltron here, a half blood Galra whelp,” he rumbled. “I wanted to see for myself.”

            “He’s all yours Murak.”

            The druid disappeared in a flash of smoke. Keith panted softly, sweat dripping down his neck. He was exhausted and the soldier was fresh. Drawing a purple glowing sword, Murak grinned and charged.

            Keith barely blocked him with his luxite blade, his bayard swinging up. It sliced at Murak and he roared. Scrambling backwards, Keith steadied his holds and waited for another attack. If he could wear down Murak the other paladins could arrive.

            “Stay still whelp!”

            It seemed to anger him more that Keith stayed silent. _‘Hurry!’_ Keith thought.

            He couldn’t keep this up much longer, then Murak got a hit in, slicing across Keith’s ribs. Searing pain made him yell, blood welling up against the black under armor. He returned his bayard to his armor, and clutched his luxite blade.

            The coms crackled on. “We’re almost there Keith!” Lance cried.

            That was enough, enough for Murak to stab him right through his chest. “Sorry Lance,” Keith said.

            Pain, so much excruciating pain radiated through him. “So much for Voltron,” Murak growled and pulled his sword out.

            Keith screamed, collapsing on the ground. “KEITH!” Lance yelled.

            His vision was fuzzy, the ceiling of the prison wavering in an out. Like being under water, he swore he saw Lance’s face hovering over him, helmet off and tears rolling down his cheeks. The blue paladin’s lips moved, but Keith couldn’t hear him, then darkness.

 

 

+++

 

            A soft hiss made Keith’s eyes flutter open, consciousness sluggishly returning to him. “Easy buddy.”

            He focused on who was helping him out of the pod. “Lance?”

            The brunette gave him a wavery smile. “Gave us quite a scare there didn’t you.”

            Hunk hovered over his friend’s shoulder, worry making his lips tremble.  “You-you nearly-”

            “Not now Hunk,” Lance hissed.

            Warm, Lance was warm and strong, his arms holding Keith up. Shiro stood off to the side a smile curling on his lips. Pidge peered at him, nervously pushing up their glasses. “I’m sorry I left you.”

            “You had to get the prisoners out of there,” Keith said.

            His voice was gravely and he coughed a little. Coran hovered nearby twisting his mustache. It was looking a bit thinner than Keith remembered. “Keith my boy, good to see you out of the pod.”

            “I am glad as well,” Allura said standing next to him.

            “Are you hungry? Or do you want to shower, I mean I know I wanted to get out that strange white jumpsuit they put you in,” Lance prattled.

            His arms were still around Keith’s. It was nice. “Yeah, shower then food.”

            “I made a Hunk special just for you.”

            “Thanks Hunk.”

            The others let the two paladins walk out of the med bay, everyone exchanging looks, knowing smiles on their faces.

            Lance fell silent while they walked, his arm firmly around Keith’s. “How-how long was I out?”

            It was hard for Lance to meet Keith’s eyes and he slowed until the two boys were stopped. “Twelve days. We didn’t know if you would recover.”

            His eyes widened, shock stiffening him. “Did I – you know, die?”

            Lance’s shoulders drooped a little, then stiffened and he bowed into himself a little. “Yeah, the castle had to restart your heart. We were worried that you wouldn’t make it. Coran thinks it’s due to your Galra blood that saved you.”

            “You made it just in time,” Keith said his voice a whisper. “I remember seeing you.”

            He turned his head so fast Keith thought he’d get whiplash. “What-what you saw me?”

            Keith had seen Lance blush before, but not the red that flushed across his cheeks and to his ears, or the way his eyes looked into Keith, scanning his face. “Yeah, you were, crying? I don’t really remember a whole lot after I was-ya know stabbed.”

            Lance let go of Keith, and he mourned the loss of heat for a moment. “The others will probably tell you, but I sort of-well went crazy when we found you.”

            Clenching his fists tight, Lance swallowed hard, his eyes focusing on the floor. “I killed the Galra that stabbed you. The others had to drag me away from you.”

            The blue paladin’s voice was soft and sad. Keith wasn’t really sure what to do. He’d never seen Lance so defeated looking. “Thank you, Lance.”

            “But-but.”

            Keith stepped forwards and wrapped his arms around Lance. It seemed like the thing to do. That warmth, it was nice. _‘I’m just giving him comfort.’_

            Lance slid his arms around Keith’s waist, tightening on the white jumpsuit. “I wish we’d gotten there sooner.”

            It was a whisper and Keith barely heard it. They stood there for a few moments, until Keith’s stomach growled. Lance stepped back, his arms dropping. “Right, food and clothes and a shower. Let’s-let’s go.”

            He didn’t offer support again and they walked in silence until they reached Keith’s rooms. “I’ll just wait for you out here?” Lance said.

            “Ok.”

            The door to his quarters swished open and he walked inside. Although his stomach was churning with hunger, a shower sounded great. Stripping out of the white jumpsuit, Keith realized he hadn’t seen his paladin armor anywhere. _‘I wonder if Coran can fix it.’_

            He didn’t want to focus on the fact that his armor matched the color of his blood. Shaking his head a little, Keith turned on the water and got into the shower.

            Clean clothes and a shower made all the difference to Keith. All he needed was some food.

            True to his word, Lance was waiting outside his room, curled up on the floor, asleep. Keith then noticed the purple smudges that hugged his eyes and the haggard look he had. _‘Was Lance not getting sleep?’_ Keith thought.

            “Hey Lance, wake up.”

            “Mmmm I wasn’t sleeping, just resting my eyes.”

            “C’mon, Hunk’s food is waiting for me.”

            Keith extended a hand and Lance took it letting the red paladin pull him to his feet. It was odd that Lance was so quiet. Normally he was chattering away about something. It was annoying at first, but Keith noticed he did it to fill the silence that sometimes could be so suffocating. The silence of space.

            “Lance, uhm, how’s Matt?”

            “He spent a few hours in a pod, then insisted on Pidge explaining everything. The other alien prisoners took Galra vessels and left for their own planets.”

            “Did you meet J’mira?” Keith asked.

            “Six-armed blue alien clutching her very grumpy snake like girlfriend; yup. They were worried about you, but I said you were fine.”

            Keith wanted to talk more, but they were at the kitchens. Smells crept past the door making Keith’s stomach rumble. “Looks like we need to get you fed. Twelve days of healing pod whatever can’t be good for you.”

            The door swished open and the other paladins were waiting for them. The table was covered in food of every color. “You look better,” Hunk said slinging his arm around him, then his voice lowered. “Also don’t do that ever again, I don’t think I could bear to watch my best friend do that again.”

            “Do what?”

            “Eat up,” Hunk said.

            There was something they were hiding from him. Keith’s stomach was in charge right now though, so he pushed it aside and settled into a chair. He scooped up some orange food, sprinkled with blue and popped it into his mouth. “Mmm this is so good Hunk.”

            “I helped!” Coran piped up. “Hunk’s been teaching me about Earthling’s palettes. You certainly have strange ones.”

            The others settled into chairs, food passed around. It was nice normal. Matt was there too and he told stories of Pidge’s childhood. He’d seemed to understand using Pidge instead of Katie. It sounded weird to hear another name for the green paladin.

            Time seemed to go by effortlessly and after dinner Allura announced the paladins should rest, early morning training was scheduled. A group moan rose from the table, but Keith was excited. He’d lost a lot of training during his time under and he wanted to get back into it.

            Lance strolled next to him, since their doors were close by. Yawning, Keith was glad to be sleeping in his bed and not a healing pod. “Night Lance,” Keith said opening the door to his quarters.

            The look Lance gave him was strange, worry flashing in his blue eyes, but he smiled. “Good night.”

            Keith slid off his boots, made sure his knife was close by and slid into bed. Closing his eyes, he slipped off to sleep.

            A muffled scream woke Keith, in his panic he grabbed his luxite knife and scrambled out of bed. Not even bothering to slip on his boots, he opened the door and scanned the corridor. There-it was again. “L-Lance?” he whispered.

            It was coming from his room and Keith pushed the button to open the door. Lance was curled in a ball tears rolling down his cheeks. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

            Keith hurried over and shook his shoulders. “Lance, Lance, wake up it’s just a dream.”

            His eyes snapped open, red rimmed blue eyes focusing on Keith’s face. He leapt at Keith, wrapping his arms around his neck. “I couldn’t-I couldn’t save you,” he babbled. “You were dead and cold and I tried so hard, but you were gone.”

            “It’s ok Lance, shhhh.”

            Lance clung to Keith, his face buried in his shoulder. “I didn’t know what to do if you were dead. I-I like you so much, but I don’t know how to tell you.”

            Keith stiffened and swallowed hard. “Lance c’mon, I’m alive.”

            He pushed Lance back, that boy was stronger than he looked. Sliding his hands down Lance’s arms, he pulled his hands up to his own cheeks. “Feel my skin. I’m not cold and I’m not dead.”

            Lance held his face, hiccupping softly, the tears slowing. “Hunk had to drag me away from your pod so I’d actually sleep. I thought you were my rival, but it’s because I’ve always liked you. I couldn’t bear for you to die without telling you Keith.”

            “I thought-I thought you hated me, I wanted you to be my friend at first,” Keith started slowly, deciding his words. “And you were kind of annoying, but I like hearing you talk. Do you know how blue your eyes are?”

            A soft chuckle rose from Lance’s chest. “Mullet you do know how to use your words.”

            “Can-can I kiss you?” Keith asked.

            His cheeks warmed and he realized that Lance might not want to kiss him after a nightmare. A press of warm lips on his told him he was wrong. The kiss was warm and soft, two boys figuring out where their lips fit together. “Keith would you stay here tonight?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Wait, is that your luxite blade?”

            “Uh yeah,” Keith said settling it near his pillow.

            “Mmmm wierdo,” Lance murmured pulling back the covers.

            Keith slid under them and shuffled closer while Lance pulled the blankets over them. A warm arm snaked around his waist. “Sweet dreams mullet,” Lance whispered tucking himself under Keith’s chin.

            Lance shifted his legs around Keith’s and one of his hands found the red paladin’s hand tangling them together. Sleep came easily to both paladins, a smile on both their faces.


End file.
